


Villain Names

by Kebuyo



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: AU where Ed Oz and Martine are a happy murder family, Dadwald, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff to get us through these salty times, M/M, Murder Husbands, Not Canon Compliant, Not Serious, Nygmobblepositivity, Nygmobblepot, Riddlebird - Freeform, Riddluin, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-03 02:29:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14558886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kebuyo/pseuds/Kebuyo
Summary: Set about 1-2 years in the future.Martine has an idea and presents it to his parents.





	Villain Names

**Author's Note:**

> I know in most fanfics (and the IMDb) it is "Martin", but I chose to write "Martine", as it is spelled in the actor's twitter bio, because to me it seems to fit better to how the name is pronounced.

It was a normal Sunday evening at the Van Dahl Mansion. Ed and Oswald were sitting near the crackling fire, silently enjoying each other's company while Oswald read the paper and Ed contemplated over some riddles for his next scheme. They both looked up at the sound of small footsteps approaching. Their son, Martine Nygma-Cobblepot, stood before them, wearing a purple sweater vest and a green bowtie in matching patterns. He really had inherited their sense of fashion. Martine looked slightly nervous. “Martine, dear, what is it?”, Oswald encouraged. The child took out a notepad from behind his back. When he was sure he had their undivided attention, he showed them the first page:

_I have been thinking. You both have very expressive names._

They nodded, unsure where this was going. Martine teared off the page and showed the next one:

_I think it is important for a villain to have a memorable, expressive name._ He looked at them as if waiting for reassurance.

“Certainly”, Edward said.

_I like the name Nygma-Cobblepot. I'm happy to carry both of your names._

_However, I, too, want to be a great villain one day, like you._ They looked flattered, but also a little worried.

_And I think a compound name is not a good option for that. It should be more succinct._ He looked sheepish. _So, I think maybe I want to change my name._

“Oh.”, Oswald said, trying to retain his composure. “So, do you want to choose one of our names or return to your birth name?” He almost started to cry. Would Martine discard his name? Oswald has come to think of him as his son, the idea that Martine might not want to be a Cobblepot anymore, even just in name, was painful. Edward, too, felt hurt. Martine had known Oswald longer than him, of course he would choose _his_ name over Ed's. He couldn't help but feel cast out of this family of three they had built together.

Martine shook his head and hastily waved the next note in front of them, disrupting their angsty thoughts.

_I created this new name for me:_

He looked excited, apparently being quite content with whatever name he might have come up with. Ed and Oz looked at him expectantly and Martine revealed the last note. They both stared at it for a while, then Edward laughed and Oswald blinked. The boy passed them the sheet and they kept staring at it while he wrote a new message:

_This way, we are recognizable as a family, but I will also have my own expressive and distinct name._

They remained silent for another moment and exchanged glances, before finally Oswald spoke.

“I'm not sure if that will have the desired effect.”, he said carefully. Martine tapped the note again and nodded enthusiastically to reinforce his idea. His father still looked sceptical.

“Well, I kinda like it.”, Edward said. “rolls right off the tongue.” Martine beamed, while Oswald cast his partner an incredulous look. Then he sighed and smiled at his son. It was actually quite endearing, he had to admit. And he just couldn't let Martine down.

“It is quite creative.”, he reassured. “And has a nice ring to it, I suppose. Very well.” He nodded.

Martine beamed, hugged both of them and went back to his room. Ed and Oswald took another look at the note. One word was written on it:

_Nygmobblepot_

 

About a week after Martine's name was officially changed, Edward was working on something in his notebook in the living room when Oswald came walking in hastily.

“I just talked to Jim. As it seems, the word has already spread about Martine's new... _family name_. Apparently, they're all calling us _ʻNygmobblepotʼ_ now.”, he exclaimed.

“Well, good for Martine then, exactly what he had wanted, to establish his not-quite-yet-villain name.”, Edward said, still scrutinizing the pages in front of him.

“You are not listening. I meant, they are also calling _us_ ʻNygmobblepotʼ, as in you and I. Like a team name.”

“A team name?”, Ed said surprised, finally looking up from his notes.

Oswald nodded.

“But... we already have existing villain names. And we're not a team.” Oswald raised his eyebrows at him. “Well, not _that_ kind of team. Besides-”, he continued, as if something had just  occurred to him. “if something, it should be ʻRiddluinʼ.”

Oswald blinked. “What?”

“Riddluin. The Riddler and the Penguin, those are our villain names.” Oswald just stared at him in disbelief.

“Or perhaps ʻRiddlebirdʼ?”, Ed continued contemplatively, ignoring his partner's incredulous gaze.

“Well, now it's Nygmobblepot.”, Oswald then said, taking a seat next to him on the couch. “ _ʻRolls right off the tongueʼ._ ”

Ed sighed. “It had seemed like a nice idea for Martine at the time.”

“Mm-hm.”

“Well, that backfired.”

“Indeed.”, Oswald said with resignation.

Edward sighed again, smiled defeatedly and wrapped an arm around the other. “Things we endure for our children's love.”

Oswald looked up at him and couldn't help but smile fondly. He rested his head on Ed's shoulder.

“ _Nothing could warm me more._ ”, he said.

 


End file.
